Claudio Marfia: 40 Under Forty 2018

Owner, Il Corso.

Claudio Marfia, 33

Chef Claudio Marfia grew up in an Italian kitchen. His father, a chef from Palermo, had him “peeling potatoes and cleaning squid” since he was a tot. “It was like my day care,” he says.

Claudio’s family came to the valley when he was a teenager, but he left for college and cut his teeth at restaurants in L.A. and Europe. “The desert always stayed with me,” he says.

Eager to share authentic Italian cuisine with locals, he and his father opened Il Corso in Palm Desert. Five years later, they’re cooking up plans for a second restaurant in Palm Springs, with a more vibrant nighttime vibe that appeals to younger patrons.

VIDEO: Claudi Marfia talks about opening a second Il Corso in Palm Springs.